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Welcome to the Insider’s Guide
To be honest, the secret is already out. This special place where centuries of history meet modern-day living has seen a surge in popularity in the past few years with the town topping many people’s list of their ideal places to live.
We have it all – interesting buildings offering glimpses of the past around every corner, good transport links and schools, open space and countryside on the doorstep and a town centre that boasts an above-average number of vibrant independent businesses.
Since the last edition of this guide was published, Hertford’s already thriving cultural scene is better than ever before, with the opening of the redeveloped Hertford Theatre – now BEAM – bringing back theatre,
comedy and musical entertainment, as well as cinema, to the town and wider area.
And the occupation of the new apartments and ongoing opening of new businesses at Lea Wharf, on the site of the former Bircherley Green shopping centre, has breathed new life into a previously neglected part of town, and opened up a fabulous riverside setting.
Hertford is constantly evolving yet retains a stronger than ever sense of community with its residents proud of the place they call home.
Whether you’ve lived here for years or moved in yesterday, there will always be something new to explore.
Let us be your guide...
A modern town shaped by its past
The town we know today has been shaped by a history spanning more than 1,000 years – beginning with the establishment in the early 10th century of two fortified settlements either side of a ford on the River Lea by Anglo Saxon king Edward the Elder.
Its name is likely to derive from the AngloSaxon ‘heort ford’ meaning the place where the deer crossed the river.
Both the town and county councils’ crests feature harts, as does the prominent war memorial in Parliament Square, and many local businesses and organisations feature a hart in their logos.
Norman times saw the establishment of a motte and bailey castle for Hertford along with a
priory church, which was then one of the largest in the country.
While the priory was to fall victim to Henry VIII’s Dissolution of the Monasteries, the castle, first rebuilt in stone and then altered over several centuries, survived longer, serving as a royal residence, attracting nobility to the town, and, in 1563 providing a venue for Elizabeth 1st to convene Parliament away from the plague in London.
Today, the castle motte survives, along with the 12th century flint walls and a gatehouse building, built around 1465, which is still referred to as “Hertford Castle” and is home to the town council.
It also hosts castle open days, private events
IN THE FRAME
Lea Wharf, now open; Flowered Up, in the historic Verger’s House; Alfred Russell Wallace mural at Courtyard Arts; Open air cinema at Hertford Castle; Courtyard Arts in Port Vale welcomes artists and visitors; Matthew Collinson at Brothership gallery artists’ collective in Bull Plain; McMullens’ The White Hart in Salisbury Square; BEAM, Hertford’s new cultural hub in The Wash.
and weddings, while the grounds are open as a public park and home to a vibrant annual programme of events.
Hertford’s proximity to London and its markets saw agriculture, milling and brewing thrive with infrastructure and communications improved by the building of the Lee Navigation Canal in 1767 and later, in 1843, the arrival of the railway.
Family brewer McMullen’s continues to brew in Hertford as well as operate a number of pubs here including The Woolpack on the riverside at Mill Bridge, The White Hart in the centre of town and recently renovated The Salisbury Arms Hotel in Fore Street.
The town retains elements of its Medieval architecture – the half-timbered Tudor Verger’s House building in St Andrew Street that is now home on the ground floor to florist Flowered
Up and cheesemonger A Little Bit of Cheese, being a particularly impressive example.
There are also many buildings dating from a period of significant growth in Victorian times.
And while there may occasionally be some frustration that the town has no shopping centre to provide units large enough to attract some of the larger multiples, the positive is the survival of so many interesting buildings that provide characterful homes to a range of unique independent businesses.
Together with charter, farmers’ and newly-introduced makers’ markets, a vibrant eating out scene and a decent smattering of cultural and artistic venues including Courtyard Arts in Port Vale and the vibrant Brothership gallery in Bull Plain, it all makes Hertford a great place to visit or call home.
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Glimpses of the past round every corner…
Hertford Castle
There has been a castle in Hertford since Norman times. Back then it would have comprised a wooden or stone keep on top of a raised area of ground (motte) and a walled enclosure containing other buildings (the bailey). Reconstructed over the centuries, the castle served as a royal residence for 300 years before falling into disrepair. Today the building known as the castle is actually a gatehouse, built around 1465, and all that remains of the last palace to stand here. In Castle Street, it is home to Hertford Town Council, and its grounds are a public park.
The Verger’s House & St Nicholas Hall
The oldest surviving dwelling in the town, built around 1450, is the distinctive former Verger’s House next to St Andrew’s Church in St Andrew Street. To the side, joined with it to form one building, is the Arts and Crafts-style St Nicholas Hall. This was built in the late 1800s to provide a venue for parish meetings. Many will remember the building as Beckwith and Son antiques shop. Today the buildings are predominantly a private residence with two retail units on the ground floor currently home to florist Flowered Up and cheesemongers A Little Bit of Cheese.
The Old Library
Designed by architect Sir Reginald Blomfield RA for the then Hertford Borough Council, this grade 2 listed building in Old Cross was opened in 1888 by Arthur James Balfour who had been MP for Hertford from 1874 to 1885 and was to later serve as Prime Minister. The ground floor was a library with a school of art above. In the early 1960s it became part of the county library service. The library moved to Dolphin Yard at the end of 2011. Today the building is home to Trevillion Interiors, a leading interior design company specialising in work for the hospitality industry.
So
many of the buildings that have shaped Hertford’s past still survive, giving the town a distinct character, with many providing unique homes for the businesses of today.
The Green Dragon Hotel
In the early 1900s Maidenhead Street was bustling with shops, inns, a cinema and hotel. Today, it’s easy to miss the hotel because at street level it’s now home to shops (including the British Heart Foundation and Ladbrokes). But stand across the road in The Wash and look up and you’ll appreciate the impressive grade 2 listed orange brick building built in 1903 to house the 25-room Green Dragon Hotel. Just around the corner, also grade 2 listed, were its stables, garage and bonded vaults. The Dutch gable wall, facing The Wash, features raised lettering advertising the hotel’s features.
McMullen’s Victorian Brewery Building
This majestic, now grade 2 listed, red brick building in Hartham Lane, an iconic feature on the Hertford skyline, was purpose-built in 1891 for local brewery McMullen’s, the independent family business that has been brewing in the county town since 1827.
The clock on the lower part of the building was made around 1829 by renowned London clockmaker, Moore and Sons of Clerkenwell. Today the Victorian brewery has been redeveloped into flats with Macs, as they’re fondly known locally, having moved brewing operations to their Whole Hop Brewery just over the road at Old Cross.
Shire Hall
Now home to Hertford’s magistrates’ court, the Georgian-style Shire Hall, designed by James Adam, was completed in 1771 having been commissioned to replace an earlier sessions (court) house demolished in 1768. The projecting clock on the south elevation was a later addition and was manufactured and installed in 1824 by Hertford bellfounder and clockmaker John Briant. The building, in Fore Street, has previously housed the assembly rooms and courts for the county, the town’s corn exchange and Hertfordshire County Council until it moved to County Hall in 1939.
Glimpses of the past round every corner…
The
Salisbury Arms
With a history dating back more than 650 years The Salisbury Arms in Fore Street has long been one of the most prominent of the historic inns of Hertford. It is believed Oliver Cromwell and Thomas Fairfax stayed at the inn during the English Civil War. Originally known as The Bell (a plaque on the front external wall to the right hand side of the front door commemorates this), its name changed after its purchase in the 1830s by the Marquess of Salisbury, with local brewers the McMullen family later acquiring it for the princely sum of £3,500 in 1891 and remaining owners to the current day.
The
Friends Meeting House
Standing quietly behind a red brick wall in Railway Street is a building of such exceptional historical value that Heritage England upgraded it to grade 1 listing in 2019. Dating back to 1670, it is the oldest purpose-built Quaker meeting house still in use in the world. It takes its name from The Religious Society of Friends which began in the middle of the 17th Century, and whose adherents are commonly known as Quakers. The Hertford building is now also used for concerts and readings, and is open to visitors on the second Saturday of the month from May to September. Find out more at hhq.org.uk.
St Leonard’s Church
This little Norman church in St Leonard’s Road, dedicated to St Leonard, was built around 1120 and is the oldest building in Hertford. For centuries it was the parish church for Bengeo, but after a new church, Holy Trinity, opened in 1855 the little Norman church was abandoned for decades. In the 1880s it was decided that the church should be restored for future use, with Mr Gerard Gosselin of nearby Bengeo Hall a driving force behind the initiative. It was given grade 1 listing by Historic England in 1956. Today it is used during the summer months with special services and events.
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In famous footsteps…
Arts centre mural marks artist’s famous walk
The pavements of Hertford have been walked down the centuries by everyone from royalty and nobility to merchants and millworkers – and perhaps even, one of the world’s most famous painters!
A young Vincent Van Gogh spent periods in the UK, living in Brixton while working for an international art dealer, and a few years later in Ramsgate where he was working as a teacher.
His sister Anna with whom he had shared his Brixton lodgings for a time, was also a teacher who later took a position in the countryside – at Miss Applegarth’s school in Welwyn where she taught French and music for £12 a year.
In 1876 Vincent, desperate to visit her but without any money to pay for the train, decided to walk instead, stopping at Canterbury then London along the way.
It’s plausible that the final stretch of his famed epic journey would have taken him along the
Learn
more
about our history
by
following heritage trail
Hertford’s Heritage Trail, created by Hertford Town Council in partnership with Hertford Civic Society, features 41 buildings and features in the town either celebrated for their own architectural merit or that have been home to famous individuals.
It includes the childhood home in Fore Street of 17th century puritan minister Samuel Stone, (who is also celebrated with a statue close to arts venue BEAM), and who is arguably the town’s most famous export.
A non-conformist with beliefs at odds with the established church, Stone left for New England in 1633, later establishing Hartford Connecticut, the US city that still uses a symbol of a hart on its official seal.
River Lea canal path and if so, through Hertford.
In commemoration of his journey the artists at Hertford’s Courtyard Arts have created a mural, in his style, depicting the possibility, and featuring some of the features that he might have seen – including sunflowers in bloom at the allotments at Folly Island!
Courtyard Arts is at Port Vale SG14 3AA.
Other plaques are on the home of Captain WE Johns, author and creator of Biggles, and the explorer and naturalist Alfred Russell Wallace, while landmark buildings include the site of William Addis’s toothbrush factory on Ware Road, which from 1920 was a major employer in the town.
You can download the map at gohertford.co.uk or pick up a copy from the Town and Tourist Information Centre in The Wash.
Explore Hertford Castle
Historic Hertford Castle remains very much at the centre of modern town life – as home to the town council and a weddings and event venue, while its grounds are a free-to-enter public park hosting a year-round programme of events.
Throughout the year there are also many opportunities to explore the town’s most famous landmark…
Castle Open Days coincide with much of the town council’s programme of events in the castle grounds and offer the chance to explore inside the castle for free between the hours of 12noon and 4pm. Forthcoming 2025 dates include Sunday 20th July (Teddy Bears’ Picnic), and Sunday 21st September (Heritage Day). There are also guided tours on Sunday 26th October.
“Within These Walls” Evening Tours, new for 2025, are one hour tours of the castle grounds led by the Friends of Hertford Castle, who have a wealth of historical knowledge of the site’s history. Tours take place between 6.30pm and 7.30pm.
Tickets are priced at £5 with proceeds going to the Mayor of Hertford’s Charity Appeal Fund.
Find out more at hertford.gov.uk/events-listings
EXPLORE HERTFORD BY JOINING MUSEUM’S GUIDED WALKS
Hertford Museum in Bull Plain is a cherished community resource keeping the town’s history alive for both local residents and visitors. Alongside the permanent displays and regular exhibitions, the museum organises a vibrant programme of events for all ages including talks and guided walks. For more information, details of future events, and to book visit hertfordmuseum.org/events.
A social dining experience where premium seasonal produce is cooked over a charcoal grill creating dishes for sharing. an extensive, sommelier selected wine list complements our food and a vinyl music system brings a unique vibe to Hertford.
Explore by water
If you want to see Hertford from a new angle
the Lee & Stort Boat Co runs its Ware & Hertford Waterbus service on selected days throughout the year.
Hop on at Ware Town Quay next to Ware Priory for a leisurely journey along the river to the county town where you have 30-45 minutes to stretch your legs and explore the new Lea Wharf development before the return journey.
The boats have a fully licensed bar on board, two toilets including one disabled facility, plus room for buggies, bikes and dogs. On fine days the windows roll up; if the weather’s more typically British you’re well protected from the elements!
As you board the boat you’ll get a glimpse of one of Ware’s famous riverside gazebos which stretch along the riverside behind you. Dating back to the 18th and 19th centuries they were built by innkeepers and the owners of properties fronting the busy high street as places to escape and relax.
The scenic journey takes in Ware Lock, the water meadows of the King’s Meads, Hartham Common and Hertford Lock before arriving at the new mooring at Lea Wharf.
This summer sees the return of the waterbus service for the first time in five years.
It was paused during Covid and then during the redevelopment of the former Bircherley Green shopping centre which put the Hertford mooring out of action.
The mooring is now back although until some minor issues at the wharf are resolved the service is not currently fully accessible. Wheelchair users are welcomed and the boats themselves are fully accessible but do enquire on booking about any current restrictions.
At the time this guide went to print the popular service had re-launched for 2025 with a limited service of one trip each weekend with dates posted online.
But there are plans to increase that back to more regular trips in future. 2025 trips are being run at a reduced price of £12 per person (under 3s and dogs go free!).
The boats also make a great venue for corporate events and private parties – speak to the team for more information about private hire.
Find out more and book at leeandstortboats.co.uk.
A real market town
Hertford Market
Hertford Market takes place between 8am and 6pm on Saturdays in an area that spans Maidenhead Street, Railway Street, Bircherley Green and Salisbury Square. There’s a wide range of stalls with regulars selling fruit and veg, fish, plants and flowers, ladies’ fashion, eggs, meat, bread and pastries.
Farmers’ Market
A Farmers’ Market takes place in Market Place on the second Saturday of the month from 8.30am to 1pm. The market is a great chance to meet and support local, independent growers and makers and to sample products. Food is seasonal and high quality with meat and poultry, fruit and veg, honey, jams and bakery products available.
Street Food Heroes
The success of Street Food Heroes’ early evening street food events previously held in Salisbury Square has seen them move to a larger venue for 2025. The street food market takes place on the last Thursday of the month between 4pm and 9pm between March and September and can now be found in the grounds of All Saints’ Church in Queens Road. There’s always a wide range of cuisines on offer from the trucks, along with a bar and DJ.There is a nominal entry fee per group of 50p which is redeemable against a food or drink purchase. Remaining dates for 2025 are 31st July, 28th August and 25th September. For more information and future dates find Street Food Heroes on Facebook.
Makers and Bakers Market
New for 2025 is an independently run indoor Makers and Bakers Market held monthly in The Corn Exchange at 39 Fore Street. Taking place on the first Sunday of the month (with the exception of August and January) between 10am and 3pm, the market features more than 25 stalls from a wide range of local businesses with everything from local produce including honey to homebaked goods, jewellery, candles, art and crafts on offer. A number of the town’s already well known makers attend including Memory Scents, Amber Bees and Hertford Sauce Co to name just a few. Entry is free, dogs are welcome too (and might be interested in the regular dog treat stall!). Find out more on Facebook (@makers_bakers_markets).
Hertford Christmas Market
First introduced in 2021, Hertford Castle’s Christmas Market goes from strength to
strength and is now a firm fixture in the town’s event calendar. The market, organised by the town council, and featuring traditional German market-style chalets, opens in the castle grounds on the evening of the town’s festive light switch on and gala, and continues over that weekend. It features a wide range of vendors offering homewares, crafts, jewellery, food and drink and more, along with fairground rides and live entertainment. 2025’s event runs from 28th to 30th November. Find out more at hertford.gov.uk.
Il Vino is for everyone!
Our family-run restaurant is perfect for any occasion, with excellent dishes lovingly made. Come and enjoy affordable Italian cuisine in the heart of Hertford. Book a pre-theatre meal – we are just along the road from BEAM, Hertford’s new theatre and cinema!
3 St Andrew Street, Hertford SG14 1HZ
Open Wednesday to Saturday 5-11pm | Sunday 12-5pm
Book online at Ilvinorestaurant.co.uk or call 01992 550582
Il Vino Café
Our small family café with friendly staff, excellent coffee, panini and cake
Open Monday to Sunday 8am-4pm Takeaway available online at ilvinocafe.co.uk
82 Fore Street, Hertford SG14 1BY
Market Bar
Cocktails, wine and tapas
Open Wednesday & Thursday 5-10pm Friday & Saturday 12-3pm & 5pm-1am Bottomless brunch 12-3pm Friday & Saturday
33-35 Fore Street, Hertford SG14 1DJ
Dine and drink at one of our family of Hertford venues!
Hertford’s friends on the continent
2025 marks significant anniversaries for Hertford’s town twinning associations.
The county town is celebrating 30 years of twinning with the German town of Wildeshausen while twinning with Evron in France first began 45 years ago.
Town twinning became popular after the Second World War when it helped to promote peace, goodwill and friendship between the communities of different countries.
The benefits of twinning remain as important today – offering both the civic organisations involved and their communities the chance to experience new cultures and exchange ideas with a programme of activities and exchange visits by everyone from civic figures to clubs, choirs, bands, sports teams and churches.
To celebrate the longstanding friendship between the towns, Hertford’s new Mayor, Cllr Steven Watson, along with delegates from Hertford Town Council and both twinning associations, travelled by train to Wildeshausen at the end of May.
Wildeshausen, Germany
Wildeshausen is an attractive small town 30km south of Bremen, in the Oldenburg district of Lower Saxony, North Germany. With a population of 20,000 it is little smaller than Hertford. The Friends of Wildeshausen was established in 1993, two years before Hertford became officially twinned with the town in 1995. The town council hosted guests from the town along and the Friends at the Castle last October.
There, a joint declaration of friendship was signed by Cllr Watson along with Evron Mayor Joel Balandraud and Wildeshausen Mayor Jens Kuraschinski, renewing the three towns’ long term partnership. Wooden memorial plaques in Wildeshausen’s town hall were unveiled and gifts were exchanged – with each town receiving a wooden carving featuring their own coat of arms and those of the other towns.
Evron, France
Evron is in the Mayenne district of France between southern Normandy and the Loire valley, not far from Le Mans, Tours and Laval. Like Hertford, it has links to the past with a recently renovated medieval basilica, parts dating back to the 10th century, which is the town’s main church. Hertford and Evron twinned in 1980 with the Friends of Evron maintaining the link and having hosted visitors in April last year.
Cllr Watson said: “Meeting our counterparts and friends in Wildeshausen has been the ideal way to kick off my Mayoral year. This visit was a wonderful opportunity to strengthen the ties between all our twin towns and build upon our friendship and the freedom that we all enjoy. My thanks to the societies across all three towns who work so diligently to keep these vital cultural ties alive.”
If you’d like to find out more about Hertford’s twin towns and how you can get involved visit hertford.gov.uk/town-twinning
BEAM takes centre stage
BEAM, Hertford’s new theatre and cinema, is already starting to make a positive impression upon the county town after opening in the second half of last year.
The redevelopment of the former Hertford Theatre was a long project, and one that had to withstand the impacts of Covid, Brexit, soaring inflation and a change of council leadership, but
East Herts Council’s new venue is now complete. And after opening its doors in August 2024 it is fast becoming a destination the town and wider district can be proud of.
2025 has been the year that its potential has begun to be realised – with the appointment of a new director, Steve Sergeant, and his subsequent building of an enthusiastic team to drive forward the success of the new facilities.
The venue also boasts a valued team of volunteers who help with front of house operations and ensure everything runs smoothly.
In addition to the already open main auditorium, a second 140-seat studio theatre called Stage Two opened in March.
Three new cinema screens offer new release films with additional showings of specially selected films under its ‘BEAM Seniors’, ‘BEAM with Baby’, ‘Children’s Corner’, ‘Event Cinema’ and ‘Lighthouse’ strands.
2025’s panto, Beauty and the Beast, was
Theatre Director Steve Sergeant
announced in May with news that RuPaul’s Drag Race finalist and musical theatre sensation Divina De Campo will star in the production as The Enchantress, alongside Mama G of Britain’s Got Talent fame. Panto is always a popular event in Hertford and tickets are already selling fast!
And, after this guide went to press, a week-long festival of folk music was set to take place in the final week of July.
The website advertises some productions well into next year now, while details of forthcoming film screenings are updated regularly. Programme information is available online at beamhertford.co.uk.
Even if you’re not seeing a production, the downstairs kitchen bar opens from 10am daily and welcomes visitors to enjoy coffee, other refreshments and snacks.
BEAM’s opening was so long awaited. If you haven’t been yet do pay a visit this year and give the team some well-earned support!
Hertford’s new riverside quarter
The gradual occupation of the commercial spaces at the town’s new Lea Wharf development, begun last spring, continues in 2025. Chase New Homes’ redevelopment of the former Bircherley Green shopping centre has breathed new life into the formerly derelict site, providing around 100 homes in its wharf-style apartment blocks and has also opened up access to the riverside to pedestrians.
Already open are: Lea Wharf Medical, Boots, Card Factory, Quattro Lounge and Nail Station.
Harley’s Bistro and Lounge is due to be coming to the riverside unit opposite Quattro Lounge this September, while coffee chain Starbucks is moving in between Boots and Card Factory.
Chase New Homes say discussions are underway for the final units; two originally earmarked for a gym plus the final river front unit.
RETIRE TO THE HEART OF THE TOWN
Meanwhile, along Railway Street, on part of the original Lea Wharf site that had initially been earmarked for a hotel, Churchill Retirement Living is marketing its Connecticut Lodge development of 34 one and two bedroom retirement apartments for the over 60s.
Welcome to Hertford!
The county town has seen many new businesses opening since our last guide came out, meet some of the newbies!
KIN PLA
In the little building in Railway Street until recently home to Blue Oyster fishmongers and bar, Kin Pla is a family-run restaurant serving mainly (but not exclusively) seafood dishes inspired by bold Thai and Japanese flavours.
11 Railway Street/ kinpla.co.uk
NELORE
At the address formerly home to The Hummingbird is this Brazilian-style steakhouse that offers an authentic ‘rodizio’ experience. Enjoy unlimited salad bar and hot dishes from the buffet along with the ‘rotating’ selection of meats that are freshly grilled and carved at your table.
130 Fore Street/ neloresteakhouse.co.uk
EMBER
New music-led social dining restaurant and speakeasy bar from chef Oliver D’Arcy of Great Amwell’s George IV pub and restaurant and his long-term friend, businessman Ryan Frood. Occupying the town’s distinctive Egyptian House building, Ember features a main 42-cover restaurant
THIRTEEN ARTISAN BAKERY
Artisan bakery from Neesha Govender Harris whose successful home baking business led her to take on her own bricks and mortar premises. Pop in for freshly baked sourdough, morning buns, pastries and other home baked goodies or stay a while in the adjoining café.
12 Mill Bridge/ FB Thirteen Artisan Bakery
along with a downstairs bar, Under the Embers. Food, which is cooked on the charcoal grill, is designed for sharing. There is also a sommelier-selected wine list while resident DJs and a vinyl music system bring a unique vibe to the town.
42 Fore Street/ emberhertford.co.uk
SLICE CITY
Tucked away in Honey Lane that links Maidenhead Street to Market Place (recently home to Hertford Organic) is Mahmut Arayan’s new pizza takeaway and delivery business.It’s open 12noon to 9pm seven days a week and offers pizza by the slice starting from just £2.70 along with 9-inch and 12-inch options. Pop in or order via Uber Eats or JustEat.
4 Honey Lane/ Uber Eats & JustEat
SOUL SEED
Soul Seed, which opened in June on Parliament Square, is so much more than a coffee shop; it is a natural health specialist that feeds the body, mind and soul from its distinctive and prominent premises which feature nutrition and wellness consultation rooms upstairs.
8 Parliament Square/ soul-seed.co.uk
19/29: COCKTAIL SHOP
Angel de Sousa’s striking little cocktail shop on Parliament Square is the public face of this Hertford resident’s wider hospitality business, 19/29 Agency. The bijou retail outlet sells his pre-mixed cocktails in their distinctive upcycled bottles for you to either drink in
ESQUIRES
The organic coffee specialist opened in April in refurbished premises formerly home to Bebo on the corner of Railway Street, Bull Plain and Salisbury Square. As well as coffee made with Fairtrade and organic beans, it offers breakfast, brunch and lunch.
1 Railway Street/ esquirescoffee.co.uk
or take away. They are also sold in venues across the UK and around the world. The other side of his business is a hospitality recruitment agency supplying staff for parties and events of all sizes.
23 Parliament Square/ 1929agency.com
NOURISH
A new healthy café from local chef Heidi Brown of event catering business Homemade by Heidi. Nourish offers locally roasted coffee, healthy snacks and ‘grab and go’ breakfasts and lunches which can be enjoyed inside, in the courtyard garden or to take away.
Vale House, 43 Cowbridge/ FB Nourish The Healthy Cafe
ADVENTURE AWAITS
at Lee Valley White Water Centre
Whether you’re seeking white water thrills or fun lake activities, discover experiences like rafting, Hydrospeeding, Hot Dog Kayaking and much more.
UNFORGETTABLE EXPERIENCES
Ready for adventure? Take on the rapids with our unforgettable White Water Rafting. Whether you’re looking for a high adrenalin challenge or a fun family day out, our expert led rafting sessions cater to all thrill levels.
Dive into the fantastic activities on offer or simply relax with a drink, bite to eat and view of the action from The Terrace.
A visit to this iconic London 2012 venue promises an amazing day out.
Lee Valley White Water Centre, Station Road, Waltham Cross EN9 1AB
THRILL SEEKERS WELCOME
For those who crave something different, jump in a Hot Dog Kayak with a friend and test your coordination as you ride the rapids together or take on the water solo with Hydrospeeding, a head first rush like no other. These unique white water activities are all about adventure, energy and pure excitement on every twist and turn of the course.
EVERYDAY ADVENTURES
Make the most of our crystal clear lake with introductory paddleboarding and kayaking or dive straight into Water Wipeout and Open Water Swimming sessions.
Choose your adventure at gowhitewater.co.uk or scan the QR code
Welcome to Hertford!
They just keep coming... meet more fabulous new openings...
LUCHMUN STUDIOS
Men’s hairdressing and grooming salon led by Kevin Luchmun, two-time winner of the Men’s Hairdresser of the Year award at the British Hairdressing Awards, including in 2024. The salon offers services including haircuts and beard grooming alongside premium styling products. 28 Parliament Square/ luchmunstudios.com
TOYS R US
A new retail partnership across the UK between the toy brand and stationers WHSmith has seen a branch of Toys R Us open in Hertford. It can be found upstairs in the WHSmith shop in Bircherley Green. Bircherley Green/ toysrus.co.uk
FLOWERED UP
Based in the iconic Verger’s House in St Andrew Street is Wendy Shipton’s florist studio and shop. Flowered Up creates beautiful floral arrangements for events, weddings and funerals and also offers flowers for delivery, including same day. The shop stocks bouquets and an increasing range of lifestyle products and gifts including cards and gift wrap, candles, diffusers and artworks. See the website for details of popular workshops and floristry classes too.
43a St Andrew Street/ floweredup.co.uk
PHOENIX CHARITY SHOP
This self-styled “cool charity shop” raises money for the local charity of the same name that provides support for people battling addiction or in recovery. It sells pre-loved fashion and vintage items and is the place the town’s trendsetters head to donate or pick up a find!
4 Market Street/ phoenixcharity.co.uk
A LITTLE BIT OF CHEESE
Sharing the ground floor space of The Verger’s House building with Flowered Up is A Little Bit of Cheese. Owner Janette Heal used to work for Britain’s oldest cheesemonger Paxton and Whitfield in London’s Jermyn Street, later starting her own ongoing businesses selling at local pop-ups and markets. The newly opened shop, which operates limited hours, is a base for online and walk-in orders and collections with tasting events also planned. 43a St Andrew St/ alittlebitofcheese.co.uk
THE POWERHOUSE
The Powerhouse is a protein shake and adaptogen bar that promises to help create a stronger mind and body with its organic protein shakes and coffee. It’s becoming a community hub for everyone, including runners and cyclists.
8 Railway Street/Insta: @thepowerhouseproteinbar
GUMTOAD
Stylish tattoo studio with its own limited edition clothing range including t-shirts, hats and hoodies which is only available in-store.
12 Railway Street/ gumtoadtattoos.com
HE LAB
A traditional Turkish barbers and grooming salon in the premises most recently home to Post and Packing where expert barbers specialise in haircuts, beard trims and wet shaves. The salon also offers a range of aesthetic procedures. Open 7 days a week.
71 Fore Street/ Insta: @he.labbarber
ROLLERFIT
A wellness studio that offers tailored, natural and noninvasive treatments for body shaping, cellulite reduction and weight loss for both men and women with both personalised sessions and group classes available. The studio also offers a range of aesthetics treatments.
115 Fore Street/ roller-fit.co.uk
BARKINGHAM PALACE
Barkingham Palace is the dog grooming salon and spa where, as the name suggests, every dog is treated like royalty! After all, where else can your pampered pooch enjoy a blueberry facial? Your dog will receive lots of fuss and cuddles at this state-of-the-art salon, where the emphasis is on pairing the right dog with the right groomer. Barkingham Palace also specialises in nervous dogs.
10 Railway Street/ bpgsalon.com
Welcome...
More great new arrivals...
EDWINS
Hertford showroom for Edwins, suppliers of bathrooms, kitchens and plumbing and heating supplies. In the prominent building on the corner of Fore Street and South Street, this is the latest branch of the company founded in 1983 by William Edwin Wood (other branches are in Notting Hill).
113 Fore Street/ edwinsbathrooms.co.uk
SWEENEY RODDS
Hairdresser Rod Walton opened his own boutique salon across town with wife Vikki after Rod’s previous employer, Dead Swanky, closed down. Two of his former colleagues joined him and together they offer men’s, women’s and children’s hair services with a smile.
47 Railway Street/ sweeneyrodds.co.uk
HERTFORD HEARING
Well-deserved initial success for Danielle Barker’s audiology clinic at its launch premises farther along the road has seen it expand and move to the impressive 18th century townhouse building on the corner of St Andrew Street and Old Cross formerly home to The Women’s Society Boutique. The clinic offers hearing tests, earwax removal and hearing devices and gets 5* reviews for its knowledgeable and friendly service.
2 St Andrew Street/ hertfordhearing.co.uk
A NATURAL NEED
Small beauty salon offering a range of services including skin and nail care treatments, massage, hair removal treatments including laser and electrolysis. Also make-up and bespoke bridal hair and make-up services.
45 Railway Street/ Insta: @a_natural_need
Meanwhile, we have said a fond farewell to the following...
The past 12 months have seen a number of well-loved local businesses close their doors –amongst them Victoria Rex’s The Women’s Society Boutique which closed the doors to 2 St Andrew Street after an impressive 18 years at the centre of the town’s retail scene. However, away from the bricks and mortar building the business continues online as well as hosts regular pop-ups! (womens-society.co.uk).
Leaf café and children’s bookstore at Old Cross, another long-standing and popular business, closed its doors at the end of March 2025 after 12 years in the town.
Another café, Bebo, a fixture of the town for 11 years, closed at the end of January 2025 after its lease came to an end. It retains its other branches in nearby Hatfield and Welwyn. Other notable closures have included Post and Packing, Blue Oyster fishmongers and bar, restaurants The Hummingbird, Anexo, The Storehouse, Sandy’s New York Pizza Bar and Peach along with hairdressers Dead Swanky and Toni & Guy
Wha t ’ s on in He rt fo r d ? A PERFECT DAY IN HERTFORD...
Hertford events
Sun 23rdMarch
BioBlit
S t a rtt he da yw i t h an ea r l y mo r ning w alk a r o u nd
Ha rt ham Common o r a sw im a t Ha rt ham Lei sur e Cen tr e
Enjo y b ru nch a t one of man y excellen t inde p enden t caf s and ea t e r ie s
Po p in t o t he To w n & To ur i st nfo r ma t ion Cen tr e fo r ad v ice and de t ail s of local a ttr ac t ion s and e v en ts
Take a w alk a r o u nd t he bea ut if u l ga r den s of He rt fo r d
Ca st le
Vi s i t one of t he lo v el y ch ur che s : bo t h S t And r e w ’ s and
All Sain ts ’ Ch ur che s a r e o p en d ur ing t he da y. S t.
Leona r d ' s Ch ur ch i s He rt fo r d ' s olde st b u ilding and an ancien ts i t e of w o rs hi p, o p en on s elec t ed da t e s d ur ing t he su mme r
Po p in t o He rt fo r d M us e u m t o find o ut mo r e abo utt he t o w n and b r o ws e w ha t i ss aid t o be t he w o r ld ’ s la r ge st collec t ion of t oo t hb rus he s !
Enjo y l u nch a t one of man y g r ea t inde p enden t coffee s ho ps o rr e st a ur an ts kno w n fo rt hei r locall ys o ur ced
food
Take a str oll along one of t he fo urr i v e rst ha t con v e r ge in He rt fo r d
Vi s i tt he s i t e of t he Old Fo r d ,w hich i s belie v ed t o be t he o r iginal fo r d w hich ga v e t he t o w n i ts name
Vi s i t McM u llen ’ s r e w e ry - fo u nded in 1 and b r o ws e i tss ho p
Take a p ic tur e be s ide t he Wa r Memo r ial ,w i t h i ts di st inc t i v e b r on z e ha rt
Walk a r o u nd t he qu ain t Foll y s land , home t o a r o u nd 100p ic tur e squ e co tt age s
Ca t ch a film o rpr od u c t ion a t EAM
Enjo y a nigh t ca p a t one of He rt fo r d ’ s man y co sypu b s o r li v el y ba rs.
Tourist Information
Sat12th pril
Sat5th pril -
Sat26th pril
Hertford rt and iteracy Festival
Hertford own aster rail
Sun 11thMay Hertford coFest
Sun 1st June
Sat1 thJune
Sat5thJuly -
Sun 6thJuly
Sun 6thJuly
Sat19thJuly -
Sat30th ugust
Sun 20thJuly
Sun 3rd ugust
Wed 6th ugust
Sun 21st Sept.
Sun 26th ctober
Sun 9th ovember
Fri 2 th ovember
Fri 2th ovember -
Sun 30th ovember
Sat20th ecember -
Sat3rdJanuary
Cars attheCastle
HertfordFamily ride ay
Hertford ownFoodand rinkFestival
HertfordCastleBeer andWorldFoodFestival
Hertford ownSummer rail
HertfordCastle eddy Bears ’ icnic
RockattheCastle
Hertford lay ay
HertfordCastleHeritage ay
HertfordCastle ours
RemembranceSunday arade
Hertford ownChristmas ala
HertfordCastleChristmas Market
Hertford ownChristmas rail
He rt fo rd rail w ay st at ion s : He rt fo rd o rt h and He rt fo rd a st, a re a s ho rt w al f rom He rt fo rd a st le and b us e s a re av ailable t o he a s h and He rt fo rd us S t at ion
www.hertford.gov.uk/events Subject tochan e, chec websitefor details.
on your bike?
Fo r a Safe r C y cling Ma p of He rt fo r d and Wa r e s ee www. he rt fo r d . go v.u k / s afe r - c y c g
Sea r ch lo wtr affic r o ut e s, ca r f r ee a r ea s and p lace st o t ake extr a ca r e - t o hel py o up lan y o urtr a v el fo r a s afe r, mo r e enjo y able , jo ur ne y.
He rt fo r d To w n & To ur i st nfo r ma t ion Cen tr e i st he p lace t o st a rt if y o uw an tt o find o ut abo ut
He rt fo r d p a st and pr e s en t, call in a t10 -1 The Wa s h , He rt fo r d S 1 1 PX
O p en : Tu e s da y - Sa tur da y : 9.30 am - 5 : 00p m
Clo s ed S u nda ys, Monda ys and ank Holida ys
t ic @ he rt fo r d go v.u k
0199 5 3
Putting the art into Hertford
VENUES
COURTYARD ARTS
A thriving hub of creativity that offers a series of classes and courses in various aspects of art throughout the year. Its gallery hosts regular exhibitions and its small but well-stocked shop is also a great place to buy unique and unusual gifts. You’ll find it in Port Vale on the edge of the town centre towards Bengeo. courtyardarts.org.uk
HERTFORD CORN EXCHANGE
Run since 2022 by the team behind the renowned music venue The Horn in St Albans, the town’s historic Corn Exchange building in Fore Street is the place to see live bands, from established names looking to perform in more intimate venues to top tribute acts and up and coming performers. cornexchangehertford.co.uk
BROTHERSHIP
An artists’ collective, studio and exhibition space founded by Hertford local Nick Shipton in 2019, Brothership brings a cool, chilled and friendly vibe to Bull Plain. You can pop in to see work being created and buy original local art. brothershipstudio.com
GROUPS
HERTFORD ART SOCIETY
This society meets almost every Tuesday throughout the year for talks, demonstrations, critiques and practical evenings. In the summer, members paint outdoors in and around Hertford. It also hosts public exhibitions. hertfordartsociety.co.uk
HERTFORD CHORAL SOCIETY
This is a friendly, non-auditioned choir with more than 100 singers and is directed by Manvinder Rattan. With weekly rehearsals in town on a Tuesday, it performs major choral works and modern pieces at four concerts a year, with professional soloists and orchestras. hertfordchoral.org.uk
HERTFORD DRAMATIC & OPERATIC SOCIETY
HDOS has been staging plays, musicals and pantomimes for over 100 years. It performs bigger shows at BEAM and also has its own HQ and small Studio Theatre at Bentley House in Pegs Lane. It also hosts the renowned Hertford Theatre Week, a week-long drama festival with performances from amateur groups from around the country. On a break in 2025 due to
issues over a venue, the group hopes to bring it back for 2026. hdos.org.uk
HERTFORD SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
HSO is one of the country’s leading nonprofessional orchestras and performs both traditional and popular family concerts every year. hertfordsymphonyorchestra.org.uk
THE COMPANY OF PLAYERS
An amateur dramatics group with its own Little Theatre in Balfour Street where it performs several plays a year, many of which run for around a week each. cops.org.uk
FESTIVALS
Hertford is home to an increasing number of arts festivals and special events, including:
HARTS FEST (APRIL)
A celebration of local arts and literature with stalls and events held in the grounds of Hertford Castle. gohertford.co.uk
HERTFORD ART TRAIL (APRIL)
A near month-long event organised by Courtyard Arts in which artists exhibit their work in a variety of pop-up venues around the town, including shops and restaurants. courtyardarts.org.uk
HERTS BOOK FESTIVAL (MAY)
An opportunity for local authors to market themselves, with sales, readings and other events, usually held over two days in May. 2025’s event was held at BEAM and at Ware’s Southern Maltings. hertsbookfestival.org
HERTFORDSHIRE FESTIVAL OF MUSIC (JUNE)
Celebrating its 10th anniversary in 2026, this is a high quality series of classical music concerts with an outreach programme for the local community, in and around Hertford. hertsmusicfest.org.uk
HERTFORD JAZZ FESTIVAL (JUNE AND JULY)
A new festival launched in 2025 featuring performances from top class bands and singers at a number of venues in and around Hertford. hertfordjazz.org
HERTFORD LITERARY FESTIVAL (JULY)
A boutique festival celebrating the art of spoken word, poetry, writing and music held at The Hertford Club in Bull Plain every July. hertfordlitfest.co.uk
ABSOLUTELY NOT THE HERTFORD MUSICAL MYSTERY TOUR (AUGUST)
Until 2023, the Hertford Musical Mystery Tour would take over the streets of the county town for one day every August, with bands and singers performing in the streets and at local venues. In the end, the event became too big and too complex for the volunteer organisers to handle in a way that would satisfy the local authorities. Now, a loosely connected series of gigs are still run in honour of the old event by local venues, this year on Sunday 24th August.
The local authorities providing our services in Hertford
Three separate councils provide services to homes, businesses and individuals in Hertford – Hertfordshire County Council, East Herts District Council and Hertford Town Council.
The responsibilities of each are distinct, although as part of their work they may be required to consult with each other and, on occasions, will work jointly to deliver a service, project or improvements to the area.
Each is made up of councillors, elected by residents in local elections and, in the case of the county and district councils, run by a leader and cabinet made up of councillors of the majority political party.
The chairman or mayor chairs meetings and carries out civic and ceremonial duties.
Councillors are not salaried but get an allowance and expenses towards their costs.
It is these politicians that control the council and determine its priorities for work and spending.
Officers are the paid employees of each council who work in departments such as education, planning or housing and deliver council services.
The chief executive, or in the case of the town council, the town clerk, is the paid head of the organisation.
HERTFORDSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL
County Hall, Pegs Lane, Hertford SG13 8DQ
hertfordshire.gov.uk
Provides a wide range of services to residents of the 10 districts that make up the county, including:
• Adult Social Services
• Children’s Services, including care, education, fostering and adoption
• Countryside Management
• Fire and Rescue
• Highways, including roads and pavements
• Libraries and Archives
• Public Health
• Registration of Births, Marriages and Deaths
• Trading Standards
• Waste and Recycling Centres.
Nb: County Hall in Hertford’s Pegs Lane, which is pictured above, is the council’s historic home but most services are now run from Robertson House in Stevenage, and County Hall is due to be sold off.
At elections in May 2025, the political leadership changed from Conservative to a minority-led Liberal Democrat administration.
Council Leader: Councillor Steve Jarvis
Chairman: Councillor Laurence Brass
Chief Executive: Angie Ridgwell
EAST HERTS DISTRICT COUNCIL
Wallfields, Pegs Lane, Hertford SG13 8EQ eastherts.gov.uk
East Herts District Council is responsible for:
• Benefits and Support
• Bin Collections (including garden waste)
• Car Parks and Parking Enforcement
• Collection of Council Tax and Business Rates
• Electoral Services
• Environmental Health
• Housing
• Leisure Services
• Licences and Registrations
• Parks and Open Spaces
• Planning and Building Control Services
The council is run by a joint administration of
The Green Party and Liberal Democrats.
Council Leader: Councillor Ben Crystall
Chairman: Councillor Martin Adams
Interim Chief Executive: Helen Standen
HERTFORD TOWN COUNCIL
The Castle, Hertford SG14 1HR hertford.gov.uk
The first tier of local government based in the area’s best-known building, Hertford Town Council is responsible for:
• Administration of a number of grants
• Allotments
• Hertford Cemetery in North Road
• Town and Tourist Information Centre – a dedicated shop in The Wash provides maps, guides and local information, ticket sales for local events and local souvenirs.
• Organisation of an annual programme of community events from a food and drink festival to Hertford Christmas Market.
The council is run by The Green Party.
Council Leader: Councillor Alex Daar
Mayor: Councillor Steven Watson
Town Clerk: Joseph Whelan
QUICK GUIDE TO MOST USED SERVICES
I WANT TO…
Take on an allotment
Apply for a blue badge for my vehicle
Apply for benefits
Report a missed bin collection
Get help with adult care or accommodation
Report a lost or found dog
Report noise nuisance
Seek planning permission
Report a pot hole
Apply for a school place
Report a street light out
WHO TO CONTACT
Hertford Town Council
Herts County Council
East Herts Council
East Herts Council
Herts County Council
East Herts Council
East Herts Council
East Herts Council
Herts County Council
Herts County Council
Herts County Council
Influential and notable faces in the local community
OUR LOCAL MP
Josh Dean is the Labour Member of Parliament for the Hertford and Stortford constituency. Hertford born and bred, Josh became the second youngest MP in the current Parliament when he was elected in July 2024, defeating the Conservative incumbent, Julie Marson. As well as representing the interests of the area in the House of Commons, Josh undertakes constituency duties which see him and his team offering support and advice to residents who approach him on matters of concern. You can contact him via email at josh.dean.mp@parliament.uk. His team can be reached on 01279 969500. joshdean.co.uk
POLICE AND CRIME COMMISSIONER
Jonathan Ash-Edwards became the Police and Crime Commissioner for Hertfordshire in 2024 with responsibility for determining the policing priorities for the area, controlling the policing budget and appointing the area’s chief constable. Police and Crime Commissioners are elected for a four year term. Mr Ash-Edwards, a Conservative, took over from the retiring incumbent David Lloyd. hertscommissioner.org
MAYORS AND CHAIRS
Each of our three local councils chooses a Chairman or Mayor for the municipal year. Their role includes chairing council meetings, acting as ambassadors for their area, carrying out ceremonial duties and raising money for their chosen charities. To extend an invitation to them to attend a local event, contact them via their secretary at the relevant local authority. Their current terms will end in May 2026.
THE LORD-LIEUTENANT OF HERTFORDSHIRE
The Lord-Lieutenant of Hertfordshire, Robert Voss CBE, CStJ, is the King’s representative in the county, appointed by the monarch on the advice of the Prime Minister. The LordLieutenant’s duties include, among other things, arranging visits by members of the royal family, attending these and escorting royal visitors, and playing a role in the civic, business and social life of the county. lord-lieutenant-herts.org.uk
Councillor
Steven Watson is Mayor of Hertford Town Council
Councillor
Martin Adams is Chairman of East Herts Council
Councillor
Laurence Brass is Chairman of Hertfordshire County Council
BEAM
MAP OF HERTFORD TOWN CENTRE
This map showing Hertford town centre is reproduced courtesy of Hertford Town Council.
BEAM
